The present invention relates to a reel seat for a fishing rod and a method of making a reel seat for a fishing rod, wherein the reel seat has a highly machinable core.
The quality of fishing rods today runs the full spectrum from inexpensive, mass-produced versions that can be purchased at any large scale retail outlet chain, all the way to very expensive, hand-crafted versions available only through elite sporting magazines and specialized retail stores. Fly fishing rods are one example of such high-end version fishing rods.
The business of high-end fishing rods is expanding very rapidly, and one can expect to spend several hundreds of dollars for a high-quality, hand-crafted rod. The craftsmen of such rods usually purchase a variety of component parts separately, and then assemble the parts in a specific combination according to individual orders. A contributing factor to the cost of high-end fishing rods is the raw cost of the component parts. One of the component parts of a fly rod, for example, is the rod body, which comes in various diameters and lengths, depending upon the intended class of fish to be pursued. The rod body itself might very well cost several hundred dollars.
Another component of a fly rod, for example, is the reel seat, which is fixed to the rod body to provide a carrier for the reel. Depending upon the material of the reel seat, it, too, can be quite expensive. In relatively expensive fly rods, the material of the reel seat often consists of rare types of hardwoods or other exotic materials. In some instances it is the sentimental value of the material used to make the reel seat of a custom-made fly rod that makes this component of the fly rod irreplaceable. For example, a client may request a fly rod builder to use part of a family heirloom as the reel seat of a custom fly rod. As will be explained below, however, it is the use of non-customized, generic-sized reel seats that presents specific problems for rod builders.
An example of such a reel seat is shown in FIG. 1. The reel seat 1 is usually longitudinal in shape to match the profile of the rod body (not shown), and includes a bore 2 extending therethrough from one axial end of the reel seat to the other axial end thereof. A slot 3 is usually machined in the outer surface of the reel seat to receive the foot of a reel. The reel is held in place by hoods (not shown) in a known manner.
Non-customized reel seats are purchased by fly rod builders in bulk, and the diameter of the bore 2 in each reel seat typically is the same. However, the diameter of the rod body ultimately used with each reel seat may vary over a wide range. Accordingly, the manufacturer of reel seats usually forms the bore in each reel seat to a diameter that matches the median diameter rod body typically used with that particular reel seat size. The rod builder is then left with the task of insuring a good fit between the rod body and the bore of the reel seat in each specific rod.
If the bore of the reel seat is smaller than the outer diameter of the rod body, then the rod builder must enlarge the bore, usually by drilling with wood or metal drill bits. Due to the thin-walled nature of the reel seat and the frangible nature of the materials from which it is made, however, the drilling operation often cracks the reel seat, which must then be discarded. This happens relatively frequently, since most rod builders do not have the appropriate equipment (e.g., gun drills) to enlarge the thin-walled reel seat bore successfully. And, when the reel seats are made of expensive wood or other customized materials, this cracking problem can become quite expensive for the rod builder. Reel seat manufacturers can successfully bore the reel seats because (1) they have the appropriate equipment, and (2) they bore the reel seat from larger diameter stock material that is then machined (e.g., turned on a lathe) down to form the thin-walled final structure.
If the bore of the reel seat is larger than the outer diameter of the rod body, then the rod builder must apply adhesive tape or other filler material to a portion of the outer surface of the rod body that is to be received within the reel seat in order to take up slack between the rod body and the bore of the reel seat. However, it is difficult to achieve a tight bond between the rod body and the reel seat, as the tape becomes deformed or deteriorates over time. A good tight bond between the rod body and the reel seat is necessary to maintain alignment of the rod eyelets and the reel secured to the reel seat.
There has been a long-felt need in the fishing rod industry for an improved reel seat that can be used with rod bodies having different diameters without experiencing the problems discussed above. To date, however, no such reel seat has been available in the industry.